Maximum Spirit
by Guy Silverberg
Summary: Max and the flock have be captured once again! But hope is not lost! A new group of recombinants are there to save the day! Continued summary located inside. Co-authored by Kem' Ajiana. Other characters are originals; please do not use! R & R!
1. Chapter One: The Plan of Action

**Maximum Spirit**

_Summary: Max and the rest of the Flock have been captured once again! But hope is not lost. A new group of recombinant forms suddenly appears to save them…but when Max receives the dark message "beware the enemy under the hood," the new team is thrown against one another. Who is this "enemy under the hood?"_

**Chapter One:**

"Are you _serious_?" demanded Sam as she shoved her long blonde hair from her face. Her odd-colored eyes, one green the other blue, glared darkly at the dark haired boy before her with the black cat ears. "And can you please explain this plan, or lack thereof, to me?"

Numair looked over his shoulder in annoyance. "Really, Sam?" he demanded. "Must you contradict everything I say?"

Sam snorted, gray wolf ears swiveling to focus on Kihaku behind her. The fox girl, Numair's chosen companion, threw up her hands in a 'don't involve me' gesture. "See, the fatal flaw with your plans, Numair," Sam growled. "is that I'm continually the one to pull _your ass_ out of trouble." She crossed her arms over her chest.

For twenty years old, Numair had to admit that Sam was slightly…annoying sometimes. Though correct. "That's because you're trigger-happy," he pointed out.

"Am not," Sam sniffed. "You're just an idiot."

At that point, Eddie decided to jump into the conversation. "Are too, Sam!"

The wolf girl growled and turned on the elder of the raccoon twins. "Shut your trap, Ed. Or else I'll shut it for you." Eddie smirked, dark eyes gleaming. His rounded raccoon ears on the top of his head twitched and he made a face at her. "That is _it_!"

With a squeal, Eddie scrambled to escape the wolf's clawed hand as it grabbed him by the scruff of his shirt, failing miserably. She thumped the back of his head and he sulked as she knelt down to glare into his amber-ish eyes. "Now, Eddie. Shut _up_, got me?" there was no humor in her eyes.

He mumbled a quick agreement and fell to the back of the group with Jaxon and his twin brother, Akio. "You deserved it, Ed," Akio murmured. "I wouldn't screw with Sam to save my life."

Jaxon laughed and ruffled the hair at the top of Eddie's head. "Chill out, Eddie. She won't _really hurt_ you," she pointed out. "She loves you too much."

"That's a major exaggeration," snorted Sam. "More like it would be a waste to have put up with him all these years to kill him now," she eyed the twins carefully, eyes emotionless. "Besides, they serve their purpose."

"Oh, hush Sam," sighed Kihaku. "Just focus."

Sam growled at the fox and turned. "I would if I knew what the _plan was!_" she sniped. Numair looked back and rolled his eyes.

"We're going in, blowing stuff up, and getting out of there. Alright?" Numair muttered. "Bloody enough for you, Sam?"

She narrowed her eyes at him. "Are you _serious_?" she exclaimed. "That's your brilliant _plan_?"

He looked at her. "No. But you'll be unhappy with anything I say. That's just your part."

Sam mumbled something incoherently. "And then what?" she hissed. "We run away to where? You know they'll be on our asses as soon as we do anything."

Numair sighed again. It seemed he was developing a new pastime with her. "There's woods all around us. If they send out the bloodhounds, you can take them out."

The girl stopped for a second. "You know how I feel about…that. They're practically, I don't know, distant kin to me…or something."

"Very, very, _very _distant kin," Numair pointed out. "You are part wolf, they are bloodhounds. Big, scary dogs that would rip you to shreds in a heartbeat. Besides, Sam, you're the best shot."

Eddie coughed and Jaxon frowned. "No one could top the twins nut-check shot from five hundred yards," Jaxon's tail, reddish-orange and speckled with black, twitched. Her icy blue eyes were sparkling with humor. "Not even Sam."

Sam glared at Jaxon with faux anger. "Well, there goes _my_ loyal sidekick."

Jaxon smirked and let out a bark of laughter. "Loyal sidekick?"

Numair listened without interest, deep violet eyes trained on the path they walked. Up ahead, he could make out a building. Old, white, with ivy crawling up one side. Big windows barred, through which he could _just_ make out the shapes of cages. A figure passed before the window and he caught a glimpse of a long white lab coat. He spun around, slamming his back into the nearest tree and holding up his finger for silence.

The rest were pressed against trees adjacent to him, and he could see Jaxon's hand gripping tight the muzzle of her sleek, black M4. Sam had her pistol out and ready, just like that, the sun glinting of the silver metal weapon, glaring over her shoulder to peer at the building. Kihaku had the twins pressed against her, huddled at the base of a huge tree trunk.

Nervously, Numair peered out at the building. Not a shadow moved. His tail relaxed and he moved like a stealthy snake to the edge of the forest, Sam on his heels with the muzzle of her gun pointed into the dirt.

"Is this it?" she whispered through clenched teeth.

He nodded and motioned for Kihaku and the twins to catch up. Kihaku was at his side almost immediately. They were all jumpy and paranoid; their history making it almost impossible to relax. Even in sleep, they were ready to fight of flight at a moment's notice. Sam gave a feral smile, her fangs glinting in the sun. With one hand she pet her pistol from muzzle to handle, almost without noticing it.

"We're going to have fun with this," she murmured.

She looked to Numair, whose eyes were trained on the window. Suddenly, from around the corner, two men with large, hungry looking dogs approached, weapons tucked into their holsters. Numair shook his head and pointed to Jaxon. For a moment, Sam looked relieved, then somewhat angry. She blew a strand of hair from her face and motioned to Jaxon, pointing her pistol at the dogs. Jaxon grinned and raised her M4.

Four shots later, Jaxon nodded to Sam, who simply smiled at her and shared a high-five. "Nice shot, that last one," she commented.

The ocelot grinned again and pretended to blow smoke from her guns barrel. It whistled slightly as it passed over the hollow barrel and Sam was about to laugh when the sound of shouts and baying dogs reached her ears.

"Shit," cursed Eddie, and Kihaku smacked him over the back of his head.

"Couldn't have said it any better myself," snarled Sam as she readied her pistol once more.

Numair touched her hand, lowering the pistol. He motioned to the trees and, before she could respond, launched himself into one, hauling himself higher until he was high enough to escape detection. He nodded to the rest and leaped into the branches of another, moving swiftly. Jaxon stared after him and lashed her tail before following. Eddie and Akio were already hauling themselves after him, but Kihaku and Sam hesitated, ears pricked and quivering at the sounds of the baying getting closer by the second. Kihaku looked at Sam with apprehension.

"I-I can't climb!" she whispered, eyes wide behind her goggle-like glasses.

Sam shook her head and slid her pistol back into its holster. With a snarl, she jumped and grabbed a hold of one of the low-hanging branches. Stupid cats. Stupid raccoons. Wolves weren't meant to climb trees. When she finally managed to sit, panting, on the branch, she glared down at Kihaku.

"Let's go, Kihaku," she growled. "It isn't so hard."

The leaves to her right rustled and she tried to get to her feet, snarling, but only managing to lose her balance and land flat on her back on the ground. Her breath left her in a whoosh, and she gagged, trying to remember how to inhale once more. Numair laughed down at her, his ears still pricked. When she finally managed to take a breath, she heard the underbrush being crushed and she got to her feet with her pistol drawn.

A metallic looking dog with oddly misshapen limbs bounded out. His back legs reminded Sam of a frog, with them being crazy longer than the front, and his claws were wickedly sharp-looking. His jaws opened, revealing sharp fangs, and she fired twice, striking him once in the neck, and once in his shoulder. The bullets struck and bounced off, making clanging noises, like hitting metal. Kihaku screamed and Numair pulled her into the tree, yelling at Sam to "get out of there." His ears were laid back completely, his needle-sharp fangs bared. When Sam fired again, one of the bullets whooshed past her head, striking the tree behind her.

Numair and Jaxon, who'd also returned to aid her friends, grabbed her shoulders and hauled her, kicking at the crazy dog, into the tree. Within moments, another dog, identical looking, joined the first. Then a third as two men, both bearing semi-automatic machine guns, emerged from the woods. The dogs were going haywire, prowling around the forest floor with noses tilted towards them. Suddenly, one bunched its muscles and leaped, teeth snapping at Kihaku's leg as it soared ten feet off the ground. Again, Kihaku screamed, and Numair's foot connected with the beasts neck, issuing a sharp _crack_ and a whine before it plummeted back to the ground in a crumpled heap. He looked at Sam in shocked comprehension when the animal didn't get up.

"Well," Sam said matter-of-factly. "that's a good to know."

One of the two remaining dogs lunged at the tree, striking it with its entire body. The four of them staggered, clutching at the boughs as the tree jolted and swayed under the impact. Eddie and Akio, a tree over hiding behind the leaves, motioned frantically. Numair shoved Kihaku gently, sending her crawling across the limbs just as a series of bullets struck the wood, sending fragments of bark scattering over their faces and body. He gave a grunt of pain as a stray bullet clipped his shoulder, drawing blood. Sam growled and Jaxon dropped one guard with two well-placed shots. The other cried out and raced for his comrade. The dogs continued to bray and smash against the trees; Sam glared down at them.

"Get lost, you two!" she snapped.

The dogs paused and stared up at her, slavering with dark eyes expressionless. "Masters tell us. Must kill invaders." One howled.

"Oh, yes. World domination. World domination." Number Two agreed.

Sam shared a look with Kihaku. They were dogs-or, at least, related to them-and could understand completely what their…kin were going on about. Kihaku looked disgusted and Sam snarled at them.

"They're brainwashed," she insisted. "Completely brainwashed. They don't know what they're saying. Stupid scientists." To the two dogs she growled, "Get away. Or else I'll kill you like your little friend."

The first dog looked at his fallen comrade. "Not important. Masters will not care. You must be killed!" He braced his two gigantic forepaws against the truck and barked, teeth bared. "Come down now. Come down."

Kihaku growled low in her throat. "Back off, stupid dogs."

Sam shot a pointed look at her face. "Chill with the dog insults, will you?"

"Let's go you two," called Numair from his place at Jaxon's side. Eddie and Akio were peering over the top of them, eyes wide and fearful that the dogs would somehow get to them. "We've already blown our cover. Let's just get on with it, then!"

As a group, they leaped from the trees, hitting the ground running. Sam slashed out at one of the two dogs with her foot, catching its head and cracking its neck, sending it crumpling to the ground. The other was too fast for her. Before she could turn, it lunged, grabbing her leg between its jaws and dragging her to the forest floor in a flailing pile. Its large paws planted on her shoulders, compromising her movement, and reared back to deal the death blow to her jugular. Suddenly, Numair had his arms around its neck, dragging it back fighting, paws slashing at the air as it tried to struggle free. They tumbled backward into Kihaku, who screeched and flung out her hands to protect herself. Numair, at hearing his chosen companions scream, grew furious, black ears pressing back against his head and baring his fangs. His claws scraped against the thin, protective sheet of metal covering the dogs body, issuing a shrill whine, before he threw the dog to the left, wrenching his hands back to the right.

There was a snap, and the dog slipped free of his hands, head bent at an awkward angle and body limp. Numair helped Kihaku to her feet before turning to Sam, face marshaled into an emotionless mask. "Let's go," he ordered.

Sam checked for her weapons and nodded at Jaxon, who had been protecting Eddie and Akio. The twins were shivering. They weren't fond of close combat; they preferred long-distance killing. Akio gave a shaky smile and nudged Eddie, whose eyes were wide and fearful. He looked down at the dog, and his expression grew grim. He shared a look with his brother.

Pointing down, he said, "We can fix that."

Max edged closer to Angel, taking her hand.

Once again, they'd been caught by the dreadful whitecoats and held against their wills in a place of torture. Their cage was small and cramped, and the scientists had been smart enough to singe their primaries, disabling their abilities to fly. Also, as an extra precaution, metal bands had been placed across their necks, squeezing enough to make their breathing shallow.

Gazzy coughed. "Max?"

The brown haired girl turned, wincing in pain as the movement tweaked her already sore muscles. "Yes, Gazzy?"

As the blonde boy opened his mouth to reply, there was the sound of gunshots, two of them, and the sound of baying dogs. Max whipped around as several whitecoats rushed into the freezing room, opening several crates. Three dogs tumbled out.

Max recalled when they'd been normal, with fur sleek and lush, but now they were monsters: elongated hind legs, like a frogs; metal-enforced fur; iron jaws and fangs. They were dogs…on major steroids.

The largest paused at the cage in which the flock was being held and bared its teeth, saliva dripping onto the floor. A scientist called out and it whipped around, running for the door. The room plunged back into darkness.

Shouts issued from the other room and then…silence.

Absolute silence. Even the baying of the three dogs was fading away. Angel and the Gasman huddled together, using one another for warmth and security. Fang touched her shoulder and she leaned into him.

"Something's going on."

She shot him a look. "No, duh, Sherlock."

His dark gaze fixed on her, mouth pressed into a firm line. "I mean, something big, Max."

Angel's voice quivered from the background. "She's right. I can feel someone coming. Several."

Everyone fell quiet, straining to hear beyond the walls of their prison. It was minutes before they heard anything at all besides their labored breathing.

There was first a shout, then a scream of terror, followed by…the baying of dogs? A crash sounded from the lab, and a huge dog, the same one, from the looks of it, that had stopped at their cage, scrabbled across a metal table, hind legs flailing as a guard tried to grab it. His jaws clamped down on the guard's arm as he fell, dragging the man down, across the metal table. The wheelie lab table overturned, spilling disarrayed instruments over the flailing figures. Max pressed her face against the bars of the cage trying to get a better look, only to see a blur as another dog leaped over his comrade and burst through the Plexiglas door.

He raced straight for a row of other cages, where dogs were throwing themselves against the bars. For a moment, the dog deliberated before lunging forward and catching one cage by the latch. There was a whine and the sound of grating metal as the beasts fangs tore into the thin metal and a dog yipped in pain. Soon, the door was ripped wide, and a dog-normal and un-mutated-emerged, shaking his broad head. His tongue lolled as he raced for the exit.

Max turned to Angel. "Angel!"

The blonde child had a look of fierce concentration on her face, eyes fixated on the dog. "I can't get a hold of its mind, Max!" An explosion in the lab send the flock cowering in the back of their crate and Angel touched Max's hand. «_Max? They're here_.»

Sam pulled the hood over her head and tightened the cloak, seeing Jaxon and the rest doing the same. Numair helped Kihaku tie hers and kissed her nose delicately before turning to address the other two girls.

"Take as many out as you can," he ordered briskly. "Kihaku and I will search for any others." His violet eyes leveled a glare at the twins. "How long do we have?"

"Ten minutes," replied a hesitant Akio. "Tops."

Numair shared a look with Jaxon and Kihaku nodding to them. "Let's go, then. No sense wasting time here. Sam, you come with me; Jaxon, stay with Kihaku."

Sam shot off like a bullet, her long hair whipping around her face as she ran. A scientist stumbled from a laboratory, wheezing into a cloth; Sam dispatched him with cold features, her claws whipping across his jugular. A woman screamed as she raced past and Numair jammed his fist into her throat, dropping her like a rock. Further ahead gathered several other scientists and guards, faces fearful and eyes wide. Numair darted off to one side, into a seemingly-empty room, stumbling over a fallen cart and the bodies of a dog and a scientist. He regained his balance and burst into an adjoining room where stacked cages greeted him. There was a robo-dog inside, tearing at some of the cages, his fangs ripping and shredding at the thin metal. It turned to him, eyes flaming, before bowing its head and returning to its task. Akio and Eddie had done well with resurrecting the dead mechanical dogs.

He heard a rustle of feathers suddenly and spun on his heels, peering in through the bars of the largest cage. Six faces peered back out at him. Wings stuck out behind them and the tallest female, a brown haired girl with matching wings and eyes, spoke first.

"Well, are you just going to sit there and stare," she snarled. "or are you actually going to do some good and open the cage?"


	2. Chapter Two: The Flock

**Chapter 2:**

Numair stared in horror at the six children. Their wings were singed and there were metal bands around their necks, cutting off their air supply. A taller child, with dark hair and equally dark eyes, glared at him, mouth pressed into a thin line as he edged closer.

"Get us out of here. Please," he bit out.

There was a loud _boom_, and Akio's frantic calls came through the silence after: "Get _out!_ It's malfunctioning! This place is going _down_, _now_!"

He could no longer hear Sam fighting outside, and tried to pry off the lock, pulling with all his might. "The keys," he hissed. "Where are the _keys_?" He lifted his head, holding a part of the hood not covering his face to his mouth. The smoke was starting to get thicker.

"In the lab, somewhere," cried a frantic girl with caramel skin. "Just, please. Get us out of here!"

Numair nodded and got to his feet, making no sound as he moved across the rubble. Suddenly, another blast sent him scrambling back, soot covering his face and hands. He caught sight of the fallen guard, and a gleaming set of silver rings hooked into his pocket. He grabbed them and went back for the children, fingering the keys nervously. He tried one, but it didn't work. Fire was licking at the walls, and he knew he would have to get out soon.

"Behind you!" screeched the girl with brown hair.

Numair jerked backwards, the keys dropping to the ground, as a hand grabbed the back of his cloak. He landed on his back, staring up at a very angry-looking Sam. Her face was covered in soot, and the fire danced wickedly in her eyes; like an avenging angel of hell.

"Again, Numair! I'm pulling your ass out of trouble _again!_" she growled, eyes flicking back and forth, alert for danger. "Get out of here!"

He looked to the cage. "But-"

"Get _out of here, Numair_," she snarled, turning to the cage. "We can't survive without you."

She looked at the floor, trying to find the keys that had skated underneath the crate. The children looked fearful. "Now, Numair!" she roared as she stood.

He growled, but nodded his head, brushing past Jaxon and grabbing Kihaku, who had a firm hold on the twins. "We're getting out of here!"

"Jaxon," called Sam. "Give me your gun."

Sam slipped her pistol into its holster and caught the other girls M4 as it sailed through the air towards her. "Don't be frightened," commanded Sam as she brought the gun up, then slammed the butt of it against the lock. For a few tries, it held, before shattering under the force.

She flung wide the door, passing the weapon back to Jaxon. "Can you walk?" she growled to the six kids as they scrambled from the cage. There was the sound of creaking wood, and they all dove out of the way just as a flaming beam fell on top of them. Sam grunted with pain as her pistol went skittering away, back towards the flames and under the pile of burning debris.

"Get them out of here!" she screamed at Jaxon.

"What about you?"

Sam motioned towards her gun. "I've got to get her!"

Without another word, Sam dove for the debris, dancing over the debris until she reached the gleaming silver death instrument. Jaxon rolled her eyes and led the others away, weapon at the ready. A hole had formed in the corridor wall, and she shoved them through it, out into the smoky sunshine.

They were coughing horribly, retching to be rid of the smoke in their lungs. Max picked up Gazzy, Fang grabbing Angel, and they unfurled their wings.

"You won't get far with that damage," choked out Sam as she hobbled from the wreckage. "Get deeper into the woods."

Max glared at her saviors, holding tighter to Gazzy and wings stiffening as she prepared to take off. "Says who?"

Sam snarled. "Says _me._ Unless you want to be a toasty piece of barbeque, I'd do as I say in, oh, about five seconds."

There was a high pitched screech and Max stared in horror as the building seemed to shrink before beginning to bulge outward once more. "Guys…move. Move _now!_"

They hit the trees, diving for cover, just as the building blew outwards, debris striking the trees and ground like shrapnel from a grenade. Sam laughed, her voice cheerful. "Well, that was most definitely interesting. Don't you think Numair?"

There was a rustle above them, and the Flock was on their feet in an instant. Numair dropped down, violet eyes easy-going and ears pricked towards the newcomers. "Absolutely."

Jaxon grinned and followed her two companions as they began to walk away. When the flock did not follow, she turned. "Are you coming, or not?"

Sam scoffed, "Let them stay, if they want."

Numair, the obvious leader, turned. "Come, Sam. You can't be _that_ cruel?"

She growled something and began walking once more, dark cloak swirling around her ankles and hood hiding her features. "We don't need them…but if they want some food, shelter and rest, they should probably come," she faced them, eyes blazing. "don't you think?"

The flock looked uneasy to be so helpless, but until their wings were healed and the bands were off their necks, they were. Max nodded and said something in gibberish before walking, with Gazzy in her arms, behind Numair.

"Who are you?" she demanded. "Why did you save us?" Her gaze turned gentle as it fixated on Gazzy as he coughed.

Numair didn't turn back. "Later. Jax," he called. "Walk alongside the blind one, will you? It's going to get pretty narrow, and we don't want him bumping into anything."

"I can-" began the strawberry-blonde boy, but the olive-skinned boy touched his hand. "Oh, whatever. Fine."

Jaxon nodded and fell behind rapidly, walking alongside the tall boy. She hardly reached his shoulders. "Hello," she said. The boy blinked in surprise. "I'm Jaxon. What's your name?"

He looked startled for a moment, before his face shut down on her. "Iggy."

She blinked. "Oh, well," she mumbled. "that's a cool name, too." She looked at his wings, which were still slightly un-tucked to cool them. "You have nice wings. What kind are they?"

"I," _was she asking him what he was _mixed_ with?_ "um, I don't know." His long, delicate fingers trailed across the bark of a tree, one of the many close-growing ones that formed a sort of ring around Numair's chosen camp.

Jaxon blinked again. "Oh. That's cool. You remind me of a Kestrel," he voice lowered to a conspirators whisper. "_And that girl, with the brown hair? Hers looks like a hawks, but your are prettier. And the boy, with the dark hair, well, _he_ kind of reminds me of a crow_._"_

Iggy laughed aloud, and Max spun on her heel to see his head bent close to the girls, a grin spread wide across his face. She couldn't feel hatred towards these people, she realized, when they made her family feel so happy.

When they finally passed the last of the claustrophobic trees, Max saw a small fire going, with something yummy-looking roasting on a spit above it. A girl was sitting there, her hood thrown back to reveal startling reddish hair and a pair of animal ears at the top of her head. She turned, and she was taken aback by her wide sky-blue eyes, full of welcome and motherly love. She smiled, flashing a pair of small fangs and the girl, who was obviously older than Max, waved at them, motioning to the spots around the fire.

"Come sit down. We just started roasting the rabbit, so it'll be a while," he gaze shot to the boughs of an oak and she muttered something to herself that made Angel-mind-reading Angel-giggle. "Akio, Eddie, get down from there. You'll drop branches on everyone's heads!"

Two boys, both with black hair and looking almost like twins, dropped down, dangling from a lower branch. "Hi there!" they chimed as they hit the ground and whisked to Kihaku's side. "Can't we go play, Kihaku?"

She puffed out some air and looked to Numair, who had positioned himself at her side. "What do you think? Are those dogs gone?"

Max was baffled. Dogs? Shouldn't they be more worried about the men tromping around?

Numair nodded. "From what I know. If not, they can scramble at first sign."

"Oh, they're gone," muttered Sam, still cloaked like Jaxon and Numair. "That explosion took care of the last of them." Jaxon sat beside Iggy and Sam fixed her with a menacing look. "Have a new friend, Jax?"

Iggy blushed and turned away from Jaxon. She scowled. "Yes, thanks. Get your gun, Sam?"

Max was zoned in on the conversation completely, identifying each of her could-be opponents. Sam raised her chin, flashing pale skin, and Max couldn't help but think of how much she reminded her of…death. Death with a pretty face.

Sam patted her holster beneath the cloak. "Yep, got them both right here."

Fang cleared his throat. "Who are you?"

Numair chuckled and the twins stopped their bickering as they decided where to play. Sam and Jaxon snapped to attention. "My name is Numair, and this is my group," he lifted his hood, revealing dark black hair and ears and violet eyes. "We're mutants, just like you."

Beside Jaxon, Iggy went stiff, and she sighed as she rose to her feet to step to Sam's side. "My name is Jaxon," she announced. "I'm sixty percent human, forty percent ocelot." Max looked on in wonder at the girl's reddish-orange hair and icy eyes. "That's Kihaku. Our 'mother,' so-to-speak. I'm more of the voice of reason, I suppose." Kihaku bowed her head and poked the fire.

"The twins are raccoons," Numair filled in. The two boys had vanished into the woods quietly. "They're twelve. Jaxon is thirteen-"

"-fourteen, thanks. My birthday was last week," her words were clipped, but her eyes shining with humor.

"Sorry, Jax," Numair allowed. "Kihaku is nineteen, and I am twenty. As is Sam, if she so decides to admit."

Sam growled, arms crossed over her chest and hooded face turned away. "Sure."

Max nodded and turned suspicious eyes on Sam. "Why won't you take off that hood of yours? Do you have something to hide?"

Sam snarled and moved away from the tree. Jaxon caught her arms, all traces of humor gone form her eyes. "I haven't got anything to hide from the likes of you! You're mutant freaks, just like the rest of us, so don't go and act all high and mighty with me."

Max was on her feet in an instant, Fang at her side. "I do not act high and mighty with you, you're just a sad excuse of a mutant, if you ask me!"

Sam roared with outrage and Max took a step back, the sound triggering memories of Erasers. "Who do you think you are?" snarled Sam. "I saved your little group from being burned to death, so shouldn't I be getting a hero's thanks instead of a traitors welcome?"

"Sam, back off. Come one," cooed Jaxon. Sam shook her head and spun on her heel. Tromping to the other end of the fire, away from Max and her gang.

She spun on her heel. "And I didn't want to frighten you, that's why!" her voice became softer. "Most have a problem with wolf hybrids…"

The flocks eyes grew wide. "Wolf…?"

With a feral grin, Sam threw back her hood, revealing a soot-streaked, tan face with odd-colored eyes. Her hair was white in the sunlight and two wolf ears were fixated on the winged children. Her canines were longer than the others and her claws were digging into her palms. "Yes. _Wolf_. I'm a wolf hybrid. One of the few successful, might I add." She looked away. "People tend to think that I'm bloodthirsty. I didn't want to frighten you."

She waved at her group of friends. "We were created by the scientists to be weapons. Trained to be assassins…and now we're on the run for blowing up our laboratory. Just like you are. I'm sure you think that being a normal, run-of-the-mill mutant is hard, but try to live like us. It would tear a lesser man's soul apart."

The blonde girl jumped to her feet. "But, we aren't everyday mutants!" she protested.

Sam laughed. "Really?"

Angel shook her head. "We've got special powers! Iggy can feel colors; Fang can become invisible; Max can fly really fast!"

Numair looked interested, leaning forward with Kihaku touching his shoulder. "Interesting. Can you tell us more?"

Max shook her head. "No. That's enough. We don't want to know about you, you don't need to know about us."

"But, Max!" exclaimed Angel. "You're supposed to save the world!"

Sam shook her head and gave a soothing smile towards the girl. "That may be," she whispered. "but we were meant to destroy it."

Jaxon licked her lips and tossed another bone towards the forest. Across from her sat Iggy, who was chatting quietly with the blonde boy named Gazzy. At first, things with Sam had seemed to ruin the happy mood, but then peace had settled when Eddie and Akio had learned that the two boys-Gazzy and Iggy-were bomb makers, and they had launched into deep conversation with Max and Kihaku warning them about blowing up the camp and what they'd do if they caught them with any pocket-sized grenades.

Fang and Numair seemed to get along well, and Max and Angel had latched onto Kihaku, it seemed, for motherly love. Nudge and Jaxon were almost inseparable, being just like twins in mindset. Nudge was a jabberer, a fashion diva; Jaxon was quiet as a mouse, and just cared about getting into a clean set of jeans…yet they both agreed that the world would be on its knees without, of all things, _shoes_. Flats, sandals, boots, heels…every kind of shoe imaginable. To their brains, shoes were a necessity. Jaxon would _kill_, quite literally, for a pair of stilettos, and Nudge heartily agreed.

Sam sat alone, ignoring the scathing looks that Max and Fang, the dark haired boy, would flash her from the corners of their eyes. She poked the fire with a stick and glared at the forest, her left eye, her _green _eye, hidden by her bangs. Jaxon yawned halfway through the night, and Kihaku took immediate notice.

"Okay, you all," she called. "let's get some rest, shall we?" Numair smiled at her and she blushed delicately. Sam mentally growled at them.

"But, Max-" Gazzy began to whine, but the brown-haired girl cut him off with a stern look.

"Sam, could you take the first watch?" Numair called. "Or should Eddie?"

Sam grunted and rose to her feet, leaping into a tree. Only her leg was visible, the denim-clad limb hanging down from her perch. Numair bit back a snarl and Kihaku yawned, Jaxon and the twins moving closer. The flock were stacking fists and Max said something too low for them to hear before they settled down for the night, arranging themselves in an organized circle. Angel and Gazzy slept in the middle, and the four others encircled them, Max sitting straight up as the rest closed their eyes. Numair looked at her strangely.

"Old habits die hard, I suppose," she shrugged. "I'll stay up with Sam. Extra precaution."

In the tree, Sam snapped her teeth together. "We don't need any more than me. I'm worth a dozen of you flea-bitten bags of fluff." In the firelight, her eyes sparked almost with a deadly light, blazing at her in warning.

Max bit back a retort and smiled. "Well, I'll keep you on your toes at least. You won't _dare_ fall asleep now."

Sam's eyes narrowed to slits. "I wouldn't dare fall asleep. I'm the only thing, right now, between a peaceful-" at this she snorted "-dream and mass chaos. _Don't_ underestimate me."

Max's eyebrow rose. "Mass chaos, hmm? Well, that's a new one."

For a moment, Numair sat on edge, thinking his friend would attack, and was shocked when Sam's laughter rang out instead. Kihaku and Jaxon sat up immediately, reveling at the fact. The twins were already sound asleep.

"Just…go to sleep," Sam said softly when she was finished laughing. "I've got an eye on things."

Max rose to her feet, signaling to the others to stay there. When she reached the tree, her wings spread wide, the singed tips ugly looking and charred black. She grimaced at the pain as she tried to lift herself to Sam's side. When she couldn't, she cursed her weakness and jumped, grabbing a hold of the lowest branch and hauling herself up.

"I hate being useless and helpless," she muttered when she was finally able to find a nice spot on the branch. "I absolutely _hate_ it." Sam chuckled at this and pulled out her pistol, rubbing her shirt on it to clean any smudges off of it. Max stared at it in awe.

"You guys seem to have an arsenal of your own," she commented. "What, are you planning for; World War three to break out?"

Sam looked gently down at her weapon. "I suppose you can say that." She slipped it back into its holster and slid her two swords, both of which were strapped to her back, from their sheaths, driving their tips into a branch higher up. They stuck, and she left them there as easy-access weapons in case of an emergency.

Max fiddled with a feather that had come loose. It was one of her singed ones. "I suppose we got off on the wrong foot," she mumbled. "I'm Maximum Ride. Flock leader. And you're Sam, the muscle of your little group…from what I can tell."

She shrugged. "I suppose," her eyes took in the full moon as she turned her face to the sky and breathed deep, eyelids sliding shut.

Max watched for a moment, intrigued by the wolf woman. She was…just like her: bossy, smart-mouthed, independent, and strong-willed. Yet, so totally different. Sam didn't seem to have a care in the world, except for keeping her family safe; meanwhile Max had to worry about food and shelter and whether her flock was happy or not. There was strength in Sam, most certainly, but pain was hidden behind that mask of anger. She supposed that she was lucky; nothing in her life could have been so hard as what they did for a living.

_Assassins_. The word range out in her memory like a cold steel blade, manifesting distrust and anger where it sliced. How could she distrust those who'd saved her, though? Those that were like her, only stronger and harder than she?

"What kinds of weapons do you use?"

Max jolted from her reverie at the sound of Sam's voice. "What? Weapons? Oh, no. I mean, Gazzy and Iggy like to build bombs, but most of the time we're just bare-handed fighters. I wouldn't…trust myself, or any of the flock really, with a weapon. We occasionally get a hold of a crowbar or pipe or something…but we don't use guns ever. _Ever."_

Sam raised her eyebrow. "Oh?" she shrugged a moment later. "Ah, well. I guess it's all for the better. You could end up like me, otherwise."

It was Max's turn to raise her eyebrow. "What do you mean by that? It wouldn't be so bad to be more like you."

«_Be careful of flattery, Max._»

"I'm bloodthirsty," Sam murmured. "remember?"

«_And beware what you say. The trees have ears…_»

«_Well, hello Voice. How have things been in the __**back of my brain**__?_»Sam noticed the girl was suddenly withdrawn, sucked into the recesses of her mind. She growled low and slid from the branch to the ground.

"Hey," Max called. "Where are you going?"

Sam motioned to the other end of the camp. "If a sniper wanted us dead," her lip raised to reveal one sharp canine. "we'd be sitting ducks. We'd drop like stones."

Max sat back and fluffed up her wings before tucking them back in tight to her body. "Whatever," she muttered.

Sam was walking away when she shot over her shoulder, "Next time you decide to chat, make sure you listen, too." Then she leaped onto a pile of rocks and sat, fiddling with the swords Max hadn't known she'd grabbed.

She glowered and turned to face the woods. Sam was closer to her flock, but Max was closer to her little 'band.' If the wolf decided to make a move against them, then she'd be able to take, at least, Eddie and Akio out with her. Maybe Kihaku, too, as repulsive as she found it.

«_That's more like it, Max_.» The Voice said with praise. «_Learn about them; it may be in your advantage later on._»

«_Can it, Voice_. Max hissed back. _I'm totally not in the mood right now. Please, by all means, __**don't **__try again later._»

The Voice seemed to sigh, and Max came on full alert. «_Beware the enemy under the hood, Max. The band is much more experienced at fighting than the flock is, and they have the materials to back that experience up. __**Don't underestimate them**_.»


	3. Chapter Three: DreamFury

**Chapter 3: Dream Fury**

The next morning, the flock and the mercenary group had all awoken to the smell of food cooking.

Aside from Max, Gazzy was the first to stir. Everyone else save Kihaku and Iggy were sleeping soundly. The foxy mutant and the blind flock member were using a skillet to make breakfast.

"Mmm…Do I smell eggs and sausage?" The Gasman asked tiredly, somehow stumbling over to the fire as the others rose and Max descended from her perch on the tree. Apparently Sam was gone.

"Actually, it's pigeon eggs and a few mice." Kihaku said smiling, "Iggy helped me find them."

"Wait, would eating pigeon eggs make us like cannibals?"

"I'm not sure but I'm too hungry to care." Max said as she sat in a circle with the others. Surprisingly there were enough eggs and mice for everyone to eat and between Iggy and Kihaku's cooking no one would've guessed what they were eating. Within minutes everyone, save Nudge, was full.

"Why isn't she eating?" Akio asked his twin, who merely shrugged while he munched on the remains of an egg. Once Eddie had finished eating he asked the question himself.

"Aren't you hungry?"

"Nudge is kind of like a vegetarian. She tries not to eat meat." Iggy explained for his friend. This earned a few looks from the assassin group.

"That's weird, practically all we eat is meat." Numair said, while he looked out for Sam. They couldn't head off without her, and she usually come back to camp whenever food was done. His attention shifted back to the overall group when he heard Kihaku speak up.

"Well it's a good thing I picked a few of these before I came back." The fox-like woman then produced several strawberries, all very fresh and fragrant.

"Oh thanks Kihaku, where'd you get these?" The dark skinned bird-kid asked as she took a few of the reddish fruits.

"Iggy and I came across a few of them while we were looking for food. I didn't notice them at first because I just thought that I was seeing a flash of his hair."

Iggy just smirked. "Well my hair is kind of strawberry colored, or so I recall."

"It is, and very cute too." Jaxon said flirtatiously, this earned her a collective groan.

"Hey Jax, me and Kihaku are the only ones allowed to flirt shamelessly!" Numair joked as he kissed the goggle wearing recombinant on the cheek. This made Gazzy chuckle.

"Uh-oh! Max, Fang, we have another pair of love birds."

"Love mammals." The twins said in unison.

"Ha ha. Hilarious." Max said before she began to take charge. "But Sam's been gone way too long. I think we should look for her."

"My thoughts exactly." Numair said standing up. " I think we should split off into groups of two."

"Great, but that'll leave an odd man. How about one group takes Angel?"

"No problem." The cat-boy agreed. Just as everyone began pairing up, Sam reappeared.

"Aw, a search party for me? How thoughtful!" The wolf-like girl said, her usual sarcastic demeanor in full display.

"Yeah, you know we couldn't live without our sarcastic, vicious, battle crazy teammate." Jaxon said hugging her best friend. The comment actual got Sam to give off a small smirk.

"Gee thanks. By the way I think our targets already abandoned the area, and civilization isn't too far off."

"It isn't?" Nudge asked hopefully as she finished her last strawberry. The promise of a town or city where they could rest in some form of comfort made her eyes come to life. "Is it a city? We haven't been by one in forever and I could go for some shopping."

"By the disgusting pollution smell I picked up, yes. It can't be more than five miles off, and maybe we can find some clues regarding the techies who kidnapped you guys."

"Well well, nice work Sam. We'll be ready to leave after you eat, what about your team Max?"

"The Flock is ready. You don't have to worry about us." She said confidently. Max had to admit that Numair knew when to take charge, but she wasn't used to having another leader around. She'd have to make sure she remembered to talk over their little alliance with these mutants when it was just her and the Flock.

Soon, Sam had gotten a newly cooked share of food and was ready to travel again. as were the others. It took them around an hour and a half to reach the outskirts of the city. Already the group of non-avian recombinants were wearing their hoods again, reminding Max of Voice's warning.

"Welcome to Edgeton City." Eddie said as he read a sign. It had the population, as well as a speed limit. He then pointed to another sign. "It looks like you guys will be safe here."

"What makes you say that?" Fang asked, his voice somewhat startling the hooded ones.

"He's about to say that it's a bird sanctuary." Angel explained.

"Hey! You read my mind!" Eddie fumed. "And you killed my joke."

"Trust me sweetie, it wasn't going to earn many laughs." Max said before they began walking again. Something in her gut told her that this place wouldn't be much of a sanctuary.

It wasn't long before they had come across a halfway decent hotel somewhere within the city. They couldn't pick someplace too conspicuous, otherwise those weird kidnappers might try and take them again. The two groups had gotten separate rooms via Max's handy dandy credit card. There was a room for the boys and one for the girls.

Right now Max was in the middle of a shower, and Nudge was somewhere downstairs getting ice cream with Angel. Max decided to ask Angel what she had gleaned from the minds of their new associates while she, Fang, and Nudge researched any leads on a downstairs computer.

As the water droplets hit her flesh and temporarily useless wings, Max couldn't help but remember Sam's words.

'We were made to destroy the world.'

Kihaku yawned, stretching her arms out to un-cramp them. Above her, a light flickered on as Max made her way quietly to the kitchen. Kihaku rolled onto her side and stroked Sam's hair. The girl was a force to contend with when awake, but, asleep, her features softened to give her an almost girlish look.

"Ah…Kihaku?" groaned Jaxon from where she lay on the other side of Sam, curled in the fetal position. "Is it morning…already?"

Kihaku rose and touched her shoulder. The poor girl was bone-white, sweat dotting her temples, and her tail was bristled completely. "Jax?" she whispered soothingly. "You okay?"

Jaxon's icy-blue eyes shot wide, Kihaku noticing that her pupils had nearly overcome her irises, and bared her fangs. Her hands curled into fists, and she was on her feet in an instant with a loud, threatening hiss. Kihaku scrambled back. The Dream-Fury, as they called it, had overcome the girl's senses, and nothing but force could stop it.

"Sam!" she cried. She was glad that the flock had opted to sleep in the living room.

The blonde girl was there a moment later, crouching in front of Jaxon. "_Jax_," she snapped. "snap out of it!"

Jaxon let out a caterwaul and attempted to rake her claws across Sam's face, but the wolf spun out of the way, kicking aside a pillow and taking a defensive position in front of Numair, who had entered through the door to the adjacent room. Without him…they'd be dead in a week. The wild cat lunged forward, teeth bared in a snarl.

"No! No! Get _away_ from me!"

Suddenly, Max was there, with Fang at her side. "What's going on?" she demanded. "What's gotten into her?" Nudge and Angel had their eyes wide. The other boys came running.

Kihaku dropped into a crouch before her, tail raised to steady her and ears slanted forward. "Dream-Fury," she murmured. "She's trapped in the dream of her death."

Just then, Numair launched himself forward, catching Jaxon by surprise so that she tumbled to the floor, writhing as she tried to get away from his hands. "Jaxon, wake up! Wake up _now_!" He pinched her ear, and, it seemed, she blinked awake suddenly.

"What's-" her eyes went wide when she saw the fearful faces of her family and the flock. "Oh."

Numair let her go with a pat on the back, and Kihaku gave her a gentle hug, leading her to the couch. Sam stood back, gazing at her sadly as Akio and Eddie jumped down from the counter in the kitchen.

"That's it? You're going to forgive her that easily?" Sam whirled around to fix her eyes on Max. "That's a brilliant way to get yourself killed when your backs are turned!"

Kihaku sighed and raised her eyes from her friend. "We've all had moments like these."

Fang blinked. "What do you mean? You all go berserk at times?"

Numair sat beside his two female companions. "In a way, yes," his gaze leveled on the flock, who were huddled at the other end of the room, near the window. "We weren't…created the same way as you."

"What do you mean?" quipped Iggy, sitting down. "I mean, we were all test-tube babies, weren't we?" His pale blue eyes stared at Jaxon, but her head was down.

"Some more than others," growled Sam as she detached herself from the white wall and moved to touch Jaxon's shoulder gently. "You were probably donor babies, right? An egg donated to the mercy of science?"

"Right. We were born like normal children." said Max, eyes wary.

Sam shrugged. "We weren't." Beside her, the group stiffened, but Sam launched into the telling of their creation anyways.

"We're clones, basically, but not _willingly_ so. Our Originals had no idea that we were going to be created. There was no scientific license used to gain us, no laws prohibiting our creation…all because our Originals were already dead at the time we were viable embryos.

"Our DNA was extracted from dead persons, modified to the point of mutation-add a wolf gene here, a cat gene there-and fertilized. From there, we were put in tanks to grow and develop, to be continually monitored. There were many of us to start with…more than a hundred…but only forty survived the embryonic stage.

"Of those forty that survived, most were closely related to monkeys: apes, gorillas, chimps. There were only eleven of us, that survived, that were made of something _different_." Sam took a deep breath. "Syrus was a cat, like Numair and Jaxon. Gramps was a bat; two were snakes. Kieran…was like me. A wolf. We," Sam motioned to the band. "are the only left alive. That we know of. Gramps may very well still be kicking."

Max snorted. "You still haven't explained the going-crazy-loco part to us."

Sam's eyes narrowed. "The reason for that…is because of our Original's," she grew quiet a moment, envisioning Jane's last moments… "We go into something called a Dream-Fury, which is us…dreaming our Original's deaths over again."

"You can understand, of course," injected Numair. "how unnerving that would be. To envision one's Original's deaths is to see your own."

"But," started Nudge. "you're _clones_. It isn't really you."

Fang rustled his wings. "I think I get it. You get so caught up in it because it's your face you're seeing. It isn't just some strangers…but yours. You're reliving…basically reliving past memories."

Kihaku nodded and began rubbing comforting circles on Jaxon's back. "Exactly."

"Can we…" the cat-girl asked in a low voice, "can we just stop _talking_ about it for right now?"

Numair exchanged a glance with Kihaku and smiled gently at her. "Of course." His deep violet gaze jumped to Max and they glittered dangerously for a moment. With a haughty huff, the brown haired flock leader crossed her arms over her chest and looked pointedly away.

"I'm _starving_," Sam suddenly announced. Fang blinked in surprise at the girl. She was dressed only in a thin white tank top and a pair of lose-fitting, boys pajama pants. "Do you have a _staring _problem?" she demanded of the olive-skinned boy.

Max turned her head and caught sight of him staring, open-mouthed. She elbowed him hard, and Fang turned to glare at her. "Do you _see_ what she's wearing? No straight guy would _not _stare!"

Iggy coughed softly. "No straight guy that can _see_."

Sam shoved her hand through her hair. Kieran's clothes were loose on her, but they smelled of him and comforted her during rough times. Kihaku stared at her in confusion. The last time she'd worn them…was a year ago, after she'd been shot in her side. "Can we go, please?"

Numair blinked. "Go?"

Sam rolled her eyes. "You know, food?" she turned to smile at Max coldly. "Hmm?"

Nudge piped up first. "Oh, yes! Please! I could go, seriously, for, like, pancakes and waffles! Have you ever had a waffle with raspberry jelly? It's absolutely _delish_. I mean, it isn't a Danish or anything, but it's still, like, yum!"

Jaxon chuckled at her newfound friend and patted her on the back. "Are you breathing again?"

The dark-skinned girl beamed at her. "Oh, yes, of course!"

Iggy, from where he stood beside Fang, smiled in the general area of her voice, and Jaxon blushed vigorously. Fang nudged Iggy. "_You're killing 'em, bro_," he whispered.

Jaxon fiddled with the hem of her oversized tee as she got to her feet and walked back into the bedroom. Fang's eyes glittered with pride as he and the other boys went back into their own room, shutting the door firmly behind them and locking it. Instantly, Iggy grabbed the back of his shirt and slammed him against the wall, brows drawn together.

"What does she look like?" he demanded quietly.

Fang smirked. "Who?" he asked coyly.

"You know _exactly_ who I'm talking about!" he snapped. "Jaxon. The girl!"

Fang smiled and twisted gently from his 'brother's' grasp. "She's a red-head. Tan. Kind of short; she hardly reaches your shoulders. Blue eyes. Very…well-endowed, I suppose you could say."

Iggy was nodding his head fervently. "Yeah, yeah. That's cool." He ran his hand through his spiky strawberry-blonde hair and smiled. "Real awesome."

Fang tapped his knuckles against Iggy's shoulder and laughed. "Nice going, bro. You're killing 'em, man." He sighed. "Even if they all _do_ turn out to be insane…at least you'll know that one likes you."

"You think?" Iggy sounded hopeful, and a little nervous.

"Oh, yeah."

After quick showers, the Flock and the Band arrived at a small, downtown diner simply named, _Sara's Diner._ With their long hair combed neatly into tight ponytails and beanies covering their heads, the girls looked semi-normal. Super-model normal, at least. Numair and Eddie simply wore ball caps facing backwards-as was the style. The Flock did as the Flock may: overly-large hoodies that covered their wings without seriously constricting them. Where the hoodies came from…Numair refused to reveal.

Sam and Angel sauntered straight up to the cash-register, Angel working her mind-magic, as the wolf girl liked to call it, to persuade her into not asking questions.

"My family is having a little get-together," Sam smiled, careful not to flash her elongated canines. "We would like…six double cheeseburger combos, one without meat. Two large plates of ribs, with extra fries. A large chicken salad. A large pizza, with everything…Oh. And a steak, please." Sam gave a thumbs-up to the others. Numair nodded once before turning back to Kihaku to finish their whispered conversation near the back door.

The cashier gave Sam a look of sheer horror and typed frantically. Repeating the order she asked, "Will that be all for today?"

Sam shrugged. "For now, at least. Thanks."

She blinked. "Uh…that will be…seventy five dollars and thirty nine cents," Sam handed her Max's credit card and kept her eyes fixated on it as the woman swiped it. "Thank you. Your number is nine. We will be with you as soon as possible." Along with the card, Sam received a little plastic number card to fix into the metal holder at the table.

"Thank you," she smiled once more and turned, stuffing the card into her pants pocket and sticking the number card into the holder at the edge of the table.

While Angel went to sit beside Max and Gazzy at the other table, Sam plopped down beside Jaxon, who was chatting softly with Iggy. Eddie and Akio were busy playing at one of the game machines on the other side of the restaurant. Numair and Kihaku had their own two-person table and were whispering to one another. Instantly, Sam felt like an outsider.

It was forty five minutes before a woman and man approached their table, carrying two large trays stacked with food. When the food was finally distributed, they dug in. Sam and Jaxon relished their ribs while Kihaku picked delicately at the salad and nibbled on a yellow-brown fry. Numair nearly had his nose buried in his steak. The Flock was no better, it seemed, with their cheeseburgers. Only Eddie and Akio, the little pizza-lovers, managed to eat decently. Akio poked Sam in the shoulder.

"Sam?" he asked. "Do they have Tofu?"

The wolf shrugged and handed him a ten dollar bill. "Go find out…Get some more ribs, while you're at it," she added.

Eddie laughed and Akio nodded enthusiastically before skipping to the counter. "We've got to get them presents," murmured Jaxon suddenly. "Their birthday is in two days."

Sam blinked in surprise, though she really shouldn't have been. Jaxon was a stickler on everyone's birthday…except for her own. "Yeah. What do you think we should get them?"

Jaxon shrugged. "I don't know. The only thing I can think of is a grenade. What else would they enjoy?" she stabbed at a lump of meat and shoved into her mouth.

"Tofu," laughed Sam. "Lot's and lot's of Tofu. And pieces of scrap-metal. God knows what they'll manage to make out of scrap-metal."

Jaxon swallowed and laughed softly, drawing Iggy's attention. Sam narrowed her eyes at the boy, but could see that he wasn't maliciously interested…just curious.

"What's funny?" he asked as his fingers found one of Jaxon's fries instead of his own. She let him have it without argument. He dipped it in a house-specialty sauce-barbecue sauce-and stuffed it into his mouth.

"We're trying to figure out the twins' birthday presents. Any ideas?" Jaxon obliged.

Iggy thought a moment. "Scrap metal?"

Sam and Jaxon shared a look and a bark of laughter escaped their lips. Iggy looked offended. "What?" he demanded. "It's always what I've wanted."

Jaxon touched his arm gently. "We aren't laughing at you. Sam just had the same idea. It's kind of humorous that you would know so much about us from just two days."

"A day and a half," he corrected, tapping his temples. "I'm keeping track."

The ocelot-girl nodded and smiled at him, the boy was becoming more and more likeable by the minute. "Of course."

Meanwhile from across the street an old green minivan was parked near the Diner, looking rather beaten and in need of a good wash. Inside the vehicle was a balding, middle-aged man and a dowdy looking woman, her hair unkempt. The woman seemed to be texting on her cell phone while the man was talking on his.

"Hello?" He began calmly, his voice monotonous and bland. "Yes Doctors, the targets have been located at area 37-92. All are eating, and my partner is streaming you a live feed. What shall we do?"

Elsewhere in a computer room, filled with scientists and techies working fervorently on numerous computers, two people in particular were viewing a large screen.

"Hmmm, I say we 'recover' the infamous members of the Flock, as well as those others with them. Perhaps Fang and the white haired girl would be good candidates for the menagerie project?" Said a bearded man to his new partner.

The Asian woman he was speaking to shook her head no. "You don't want that one, according to the files I acquired she's far too unpredictable, not to mention vicious. I'd recommend taking that girl instead." She said putting a finger on an image of Jaxon. "But of course we can't get them now. I suggest we wait until they split up and take them all sepreately. Then once we have them all we can decide who will be useful to us and what we do to the rest...I'm sure that with a little reprogramming they'd fetch quite a pretty penny on the black market."

The bearded man stroked his facial hair thoughtfully and trained his emerald eyes on his partner. She was quite young, barely older than the mutants and yet she was a genius...almost as knowledgable as himself. According to the rumors she also had a cruel streak, and was involved in the destruction of the company that created the mammal-based freaks. The look in her icy blue eyes was calculating yet malicious, the kind that made his skin crawl. "Of course Dr. May...Afterall this is your show, I'm just here to make sure you can handle working with us."

The twenty something woman smirked, fixing her long black hair. "Well I'm certain that I won't let Mr. Chu down. Until then please continue surveilance. Make sure to switch off with the other local operatives so they have a harder time knowing that they're being tailed. Michaleis and I will instruct you when to act."

"Yes ma'am." Said the male operative before the line was cut. In the lab the woman smiled and looked over the Band members. She fixed her eyes on the twins, they that meant something to her.

_'Soon my pets, I'll have you all to myself...'_


End file.
